#bc self publishing/promoting/etc.

[thelaurenshippen]

this is a genuine question not at all meant as a rude gotcha, but I feel like I've seen lots of people cite the relatively low barrier of entry as a huge advantage of podcasts as a medium, "if you have access to decent audio tech you can make a podcast" etc etc. So where does the need to sell a script come in? Is it a financial thing, and IP thing, something else?

this doesn't read like a rude gotcha at all, it's a really good question! there is a much lower barrier to entry when it comes to podcasts compared to tv, film, theater, etc. (though not as low as writing a book if we're talking about hard resources - you can technically write a book with just a laptop and a dream and then self publish! though as a writer who has written a lot of scripts and four books (3 published) writing a book is a much bigger psychological burden imo lol).

the need to sell a script, for me, is entirely a financial thing. if I had the money to produce podcasts at the level I want to entirely independently, I would! I know how to do it! but, unfortunately, I really only have the funds to produce something like @breakerwhiskey - a single narrator daily podcast that I make entirely on my own.

and that show is actually a great example of just how low the barrier is: I actually record the whole thing on a CB radio I got off of ebay for 30 bucks, my editing software is $50/month (I do a lot of editing, so this is an expense that isn't just for that show) and there are no hosting costs for it. the only thing it truly costs me is time and effort.

not every show I want to make is single narrator. a lot of the shows I've made involve large casts, full sound design, other writers, studio recording, scoring, and sometimes full cast albums (my first show, The Bright Sessions had all of those). I've worked on shows that have had budgets of 100 dollars and worked on shows that cost nearly half a million dollars. if anyone is curious about the nitty gritty of budgets, I made a huge amount of public, free resources about making audio drama earlier this year that has example budgets in these ranges!

back in the beginning of my career, I asked actors to work for free or sound designers to work for a tiny fee, because I was doing it all for free and we were all starting out. I don't like doing that anymore. so even if I'm making a show with only a few actors and a single sound designer...well, if you want an experienced sound designer and to pay everyone fairly (which I do!), it's going to cost you at least a few thousand dollars. when you're already writing something for free, it can be hard to justify spending that kind of money. I've sound designed in the past - and will be doing so again in the near future for another indie show of mine - but I'm not very good at it. that's usually the biggest expense that I want to have covered by an outside budget.

but if I'm being really honest, I want to be paid to write! while I do a lot of things - direct, produce, act, consult, etc. - writing is my main love and I want it to be the majority of my income. I'm really fortunate to be a full-time creative and I still do a lot of work independently for no money, but when I have a show that would be too expensive to produce on my own, ideally I want someone else footing the bill and paying me to write the scripts.

I love that audio fiction has the low barrier to entry it does, because I think hobbyists are incredible - it is a beautiful and generous thing to provide your labor freely to something creative and then share it with the world - but the barrier to being a professional audio drama writer is certainly higher. I'm very lucky to already be there, but, as every creative will tell you, even after you've had several successes and established yourself in the field, it can still be hard to make a living!

anyway, I hope this answers your question! I love talking about this stuff, so if anyone else is curious about this kind of thing, please ask away.

[angelshadowsinger]

Hi, Angel!💗 I was wondering if you could please share where you learned how to create your masterlist, and profile layout, and how did you upload your dividers without it looking weird? I’m newish to Tumblr and I’m getting a little frustrated because I’m having trouble figuring it out.💗

hii sweetest! yes, of course I can give you some pointers. first of all, welcome to tumblr authorhood!! may you receive many comments and find infinite motivation~

for me, I suppose I’m “self-taught”? but isn’t everyone on this app? lol. actually, I’ve been sharing fic on tumblr for… idk, 8 years on and off ?? omg that’s wild. but yeah, I’ve definitely learned some stuff along the way., here are my key takeaways:

(general) promote interaction:

there’s a couple things I do to try to improve the number of notes I receive on my posts, but there’s also a few things I try my best to do in order to improve my readers’ experience. first, I use tags on every post I publish. I have a tag for asks, for my fics, for my fic recs, etc. This makes it easier for a potential follower to go through with following you even if they don’t like 100% of your content, bc they can always blacklist the tag and they won’t have to see any of those posts. second, use links so that your readers can easily look through your stuff. a masterlist is KEY here as it’s the gateway for all your fics, but also, general navigation, or even linking your masterlist at the end of your fics can be beneficial too. I find it’s also really important to have links in your bio. this makes it way more approachable for any followers and it’s honestly nice to have for your own purposes as well. the only thing about that is, you have to make the links for your bio on the computer version of tumblr when you’re editing your blog. it cannot be mobile, something about it just won’t work. i can go into further detail on how to get those bio links but tbh i just looked it up on google 5yrs ago and it’s stayed the same since then lol~

theme:

obviously my blog doesnt have a “theme” theme when you visit it on computer, but i mean theme as in, all your navigation/general/fic posts are cohesive and they look like they belong on the same blog. you can achieve this by using the same fonts, text symbols (or emojis…. i guess. personally, side eye…), or dividers.

fonts:

so beyond the 3 fonts tumblr has in its posting formatting, i personally like to use copy paste fonts. they still work with embedding links and stuff as well. i like to use a font generator, where you type in whatever you’d like and it converts it for you. then you can just copy & paste.

text symbols:

these are a good for borders and dividers, or just generally spicing up your bio/navigation. i usually google “text symbols copy paste”, and browse through the results.

dividers:

when you’d like to use a photo divider on your blog, make sure it is a very skinny PNG file. PNG means it has a transparent background, so it will be more cohesive for your readers on regular white posts and also dark mode posts. I actually designed my own PNG divider (Azriel’s siphon of course hehe) on my iPad on ProCreate, but I know there’s a lot of blogs that make them and share them, which you can use so long as you give proper credits. that’s another thing that’s important— always make sure to credit others if you’re using work that isn’t yours!

most importantly, I recommend always TESTING these methods!! make sure to double check that all your links work, that the symbol you choose doesn’t become an emoji when you paste, that the font is all set. there’s a lot of trial and error involved in making your blog just right :) hope this helps & good luck anon!!

[feytouched]

hi sweet, i’m not sure if you ever mentioned this but do you happen to have any tips on getting poetry published or self publishing? ☺️ thank you so much 🫶🏻

i may have answered this before but honestly i cba to go looking for it so! quick tips (no experience on self publishing so i won't go into that):

write a lot, submit even more. send each piece to as many places as possible

don't send poems to publications where they don't fit the genre or vibe at all tho that's a waste of your time & theirs

some editors offer critique for free or for a small tip! it can be helpful when starting out esp. if you're just getting rejections and don't know what needs fixing

beware of predatory publications and even of well meaning ones that will sadly dissolve after 1-2 issues and be forgotten and your poems published w/ them will not be eligible for most other pubs any more

there is a sweet spot between super fancy and hard to get into (threepenny, paris review, etc) and online-only journal with 2 editions and 31 followers. look for indie presses that actually print their stuff (although there are also good online-only journals) and ones that promote their writers effectively online

that being said you should absolutely shoot for the moon and submit to threepenny etc. just in case.

you WILL get rejected a lot and you have to remember it's no reflection upon you or your work

if you get a gut feeling that a certain poem would be the exact right fit for a publication's vibe though, that's a very likely acceptance in my experience

sometimes editors will request changes to your poetry. you should consider their advice and have the detachment to kill your darlings where objectively it would improve your work

but also know that you don't have to accept every edit request, and it's okay to reply "no, this is a hard line for me, i want this line unchanged" and often they'll be "ok no worries"

follow, talk to, interact with, and read other poets' work. their experiences can teach you a lot and also there is so much good indie stuff out there

unfortunately a lot of the publishing world happens on twitter. an account there is a necessary evil

if you wanna publish something, don't post it online until it's out (sometimes you'll have to wait a certain time afterwards bc of contractual agreements). it reduces your submission options

never sign a contract you haven't thoroughly read

enter competitions! they're a lot of fun! and you may actually win!

[cruelsister-moved2]

this booktok girl who got a platform from doing cutesy cottagecore-esque ‘fae’ videos self publishing a book which was promoted as...the first time bi people were depicted in fantasy...and it turned out to just be horribly written witcher fanfiction which was insanely racist towards its black bi love interest, sexualising her, depicting her literallybeing sold into slavery and graphically describing her being SA’d on multiple occasions and then her existing solely as a way for the pale blonde haired lavender eyed protag to ~discover her sexuality~ etc, and then that book getting picked up and re-released by bloomsbury with minimal editing bc they already knew it’d sell based on the ‘bi fantasy’ label alone to people who probably didnt even care what was in it........................they need to be shut down this is so crazy im sorry we should go back to gatekeeping

[bas-writes]

Tbh, I'm not sure I would recommend wattpad for fanfiction writers. The site def promotes more fictions than fanfictions so it'd be harder for fanfiction writers to find their audience and more importantly keep it. It doesn't really allow writers to create events like y'all do here. I mean, I guess you could try but the rest of the site's functions would make it really difficult to organize. You can't choose what to publish or not from what your followers send you. They either send you a DM or publish something on your community page and if, by misfortune, it's offensive to anyone or you didn't give permission for self-promotion and you're not immediately logged in then it can be quite chaotic until you delete the comment. For the commenting function, like I said, for me it's easier. Usually, the general comment section is pretty fun and respectful. If readers don't like what you wrote, they won't say it. But, sadly some dumb people exist, and you can find people being like "i'll just pretend they're a brunette" bc the lead character's hair color (blond) doesn't suit them... Also! Very important (but I guess it's the same here), there will always be minors reading your smutty stuff. The only difference is that not all wattpad writers systematically put warnings on their work's description, and bc of that you can get 13 year old children (they dumbly proudly reveal their age at one point or another) literally DEMANDING smutty scenes and claiming they've been "robbed" if there's none... You don't know how many times I've tried to educate these dumb creatures, and helped writers to prevent these problems.

Well, if ever, I'd treat it as a secondary dumpster to throw my drabbles, one shots etc., like I do with ao3. Tumblr will always be my main platform.

The lack of control over comments is concerning though... Ao3 already taught me to turn the comment moderation on, some takes people can have ugh- Slightly afraid to get more into shipping fiction because of that.

Thanks for the warning. Ngl, my willingness to publish on wattpad died a little, those few potential comments more do not look worth of the whole misery xD

[ectonurites]

a very very genuine question: so its bad to repost art but no one says anything when people repost things from the source material/creator's sketches.....why?like sure everyone who likes it may recognize the style but there are plenty of fan artists i recognize immediately, new or old art, with or without. to me it just feels the same, like either dont repost art or people should be able to repost stuff, i dont see how they can work at the same time. and this isnt me saying people should be allowed to repost and all that bc i do understand the theory of why reposting hurts artists, just that the logic doesnt seem to fit once it extends to famous artists/creators. just bc its official and easily recognizable makes it okay? how does that work? again, there are plenty of fanartists who are easily recognizable and lose no money when people repost their work (bc they posted it for free) and from my own observation, it seems it just, somehow, makes them want to do art less (from what i have read from artists themselves). why do we not consider that when it comes to official creators? wouldnt they also feasibly be less motivated seeing their hard work plastered across the internet for free when thats the sole way they make their income? and its not a system where its solely sticking it to the man bc it hurts the artists income, as well. but if it makes them happy to see people enjoying and sharing their work with others, drawing interest, why isnt it the same with fan artists? people often repost art, not out of malice or intent to claim credit, but bc they enjoy it + want to share it, esp on social media where sharing isnt a feature (instagram, for example) again im not trying to justify reposting, just confused about the contradiction

First of all instagram does have a form of sharing posts- stories. Which yes they are temporary by default, but you can use the highlight feature to collect your favorite things you’ve shared from people right there on your own profile AND it links back to the original post and can permanently be on your profile as long as you keep it there. You can even label them and everything! But then moving on to answering more of your actual questions

To start: this is a very complicated thing. And I feel everyone trying to answer it might have slightly varied opinions. 

I personally see a pretty clear distinction between ‘Officially published/released’ works (like comic book [as like you’ve probably seen I frequently post comic panels] or other materials that may have been released in creator guides, official video game art, promotional art for things, etc etc) as opposed to like, personal work and fanart. Because with official works:

There’s usually a source to buy it and you should if you’re referencing it a ton (while I don’t own every comic I’ve ever read I do have a lot and if I did read something first through illegal means [because some comics are just straight up hard to find due to age/being out of print] and enjoyed it I try to seek out a physical copy after if possible)

There is a level of far wider recognition (I know you personally might find fanartists’ styles recognizable but like, things that are in mainstream media.. have just such a higher profile. it’s not really comparable) 

If you’re not supporting the official release you’re harming the big company that published it far more than the individual artist (like, the individual artist probably also wouldn’t appreciate it, because it can effect them for sure as well, but they’re not gonna be taking the brunt of the damage unless it was entirely self-published work, which I’d definitely categorize differently from what I’m mainly talking about here.)  

Often fanartists/professional artists who aren’t that well known, in addition to wanting to just create work for the sake of it, also want to build their own platform, to have an audience that they interact with. Or like, if they’re offering commissions, a bigger platform puts you in a position where people will actually see the art and want to commission you. When you say reposts of smaller artists’ fanart doesn’t ‘loose them money’ because they didn’t charge to post it, you’re missing the fact that it makes them loose out on proper linked-back-to-them exposure. Especially like, when a repost account on insta or something says ‘ah yes credit to [username] on tumblr’ the vast majority of people who see it aren’t going to then open up a whole different website and look for the artist. Some people might! but if there’s anything i’ve learned from working professionally in arts marketing it’s that people want things that are convenient and directly in front of them. Someone who wants to see more works because they liked one is significantly more likely to click on the username of someone who posted it rather than opening up a browser or a different app and searching a separate name put in the caption. 

Then honestly, I do feel weird about reposts of professional artists’ more personal works unless the artist has stated they’re fine with people reposting with credit. It should be about the comfort level of the artist. I think a lot of professional artists who aren’t in a position where they’re as worried about building a platform, because they already have one and might have professional connections/opportunities already lined up, might not really care about reposts especially on a website they don’t use. (Like tumblr. I’m coming at this mostly from a comics artist perspective here, but most professional artists I see are waaaay more active on twitter and instagram than tumblr) If it’s a website they don’t use, it’s not taking away from the platform they had been building there for themselves. And also, some artists really just don’t give a shit, which is their choice they can make with their work! But that’s not a universal thing. One artist being fine with their personal art being reposted =/= all artists being fine with it. 

In my own experience as a fanartist, when I see my art reposted without credit, especially when it’s art I’ve also already posted on the same platform... it’s definitely disheartening. Even worse is when the repost gets even more attention than my original post. (something that has happened to me multiple times!) Like, it can get so upsetting!  Because it lets me know that someone else was using my art to build their platform and I got exactly zero benefit out of it. Then when it’s reposted with credit it’s a little less annoying, but I still don’t... get much out of it. Especially if it’s an instagram repost and they credit my tumblr not my account on there, since insta captions don’t actually do links unless it’s to other insta accounts. Also with insta for example, I have a 'business’ account set up so I can look at and track popularity of my posts and see how they’re doing as something to keep in mind when considering posting times, etc etc. When other people repost my art there I have no control over it. That sucks a lot! Also, when I quite literally ask people not to repost my art (it is IN! MY! DESCRIPTION!) and they still do, it’s just straight up disrespectful. I asked for a boundary to be respected with my work and people have just completely ignored it. That doesn’t feel good at all.

But, conversely, I’m gonna talk about my more professional irl work for a sec. I’m a graphic designer, so I do things like posters, logos, etc, When I design a poster for a client that is meant to be advertising something, even if it’s got my own original illustration or something as part of it, I know my name isn’t necessarily going to be attached to it the same way as it is with my personal work. I get a credit line somewhere, but that’s in a fine print probably not even on the poster itself at all, but that’s like, part of what I signed up for. I already get paid separately, I am giving permission for my work to be out of my own hands in that way. Professional work for a client is often setup in some way similar to this. I don’t get mad when I walk down the street and see a poster I made up somewhere without it directly ‘linking’/referencing back to me (aside from maybe my signature if it had an illustration), in fact I go ‘OMG ITS THERE ugh wait i see one pixel is off oh noooooo” and then move on with my day. It’s just an entirely different situation because that kind of work has a different arrangement from the start, where you know it’s going to be put in a different type of circulation.

So yeah, my word isn’t god here, but I definitely see official releases as having a different set of permissions based on the fact that they are published in an entirely different situation. And I think reposts of personal art aren’t cool if the artist isn’t okay with them, no matter how big a platform they have. Other people probably approach this with a slightly different perspective, but that’s mine!

[brokemylegflippingthefirewall]

*This is absolutely a fic promotion, but plz hear me out on the discourse part too

So, self inserts and original characters, the worst fanfic catgeory (fanfiction.net literally says that in one of its fic groupings, and I'm pretty sure the number of views on any fanfic website says the same).

TLDR- Yes, I agree that this stereotype carries truth, but I do think SIs and OCs have more potential to be explored, and the stigma surrounding these labels is blocking that. And oh god I just want to know so badly if this is the deal with the work I'm currently writing or if I genuinely just can't write well.

The longer version- (this was written quite late into the night/ I'm in Singapore/, and might not be so well organized, I apologize for that.)

To what extent is this stigma "justified"? I mostly use AO3 for reading fics, and when I see the OC/SI tag, the thing is....I came to look for fics about canon characters and might not have the wish to invest my time in taking in a new character. I understand that most people who read fanfiction would feel the same. This, I think, is more or less justified. If you came to look for a certain canon character/relationship, and you don't want to get invested in any OCs, then of course the OC/SI tag isn't for you.

But... I think that's about it. Bcs here's the thing,

1. Using the OC/SI format does NOT automatically make the fic worse in quality. Hell, I'm not even sure if the statistical "fact" that these tags generate the worst fics is true. Judging from what I've read in the tma fandom and my other past fandoms, the stuff with OC/SI isn't inherently worse or better than the rest of the fics. There are ones that are pretty normal in writing quality, and the ones where the prose is rly good, others where plot design stands out etc. Of course, there is a lot of wish fulfillment and the like, but... there's also a lot of that in fics that write about canon characters.

2. I can't really say whether a wish fulfillment "I just want to write cool scenes/fluff" fic is better or worse than a more serious fic that explores some characterization or plot point. I think stories (all stories, books, fanfic, myths, everything) exist to entertain us and make us feel things. I am not sure if writing a feel good story is any less meaningful than writing a story that brings people "deeper" thoughts and makes them feel good in some other way. And this isn't even the issue at hand, because fundamentally, writing an OC/SI or not doesn't determine what the content is about. I agree that a larger proportion of OC/SI fics tend to be more on the lighthearted side, but... so is most of the content consumed in the other tags. Readers don't seem to have a problem with feel good stories/fix it fics etc when there is no OC or SI, so I don't see why that type of fic paired with an OC/SI should be considered any less "meaningful".

3. Guys/gals, what is an OC/SI?

Yes, it is very personal, and it is very wish fulfillment, but... isn't that like a common literature thing...like in general? Look at the works that "real writers" publish, from contemporary to the classics, which writer doesn't write about themselves? Like, just off the top of my head, Les Miserables, Marius? Um, Dante's Inferno? (and that guy did not self insert into some random thing he straightup went for the Christian Canon😂 used his real name too, so Jonny I guess if you feel awkward about your MCs name you can think of Dante//Jk). But seriously, self insert and wish fulfillment is a big part of literature itself, and while there are things to be said about these tropes, if people don't have that much of a problem with them in other literature, I don't see why fanfic OC/SIs shouldn't be treated the same.

4. in relation to the last point. More specifically...

I do think that a lot of fanfiction which write about the original characters are also OC/SIs to different extents. I've read fics that depict pairings where the author and readers project heavily onto one (or more) of the characters. I've read stuff where the author uses a minor character to explore the established world building/character dynamics and it's clear that it's an SI but with the appearance of being a canon character (and yes it gets tons more views than one that's written as SI). How do I know this? Because I am one of those readers who project onto those characters, and I know why I read those fics, I know why I like them. It's because I can self insert, and feel like I am part of the story, part of the world. Isn't that something most people want to do? I mean, Universal Studios? Specific franchise themed museums? COSPLAY??? Of course that's not all there is to engaging with a story, but what's the shame in wanting to be a part of an already established world building, or want to love a wonderfully designed character? (slight tangent, but if u feel like it's bcs ur not as interesting/cool as the story's world or other characters appear to be then I can tell you with certainty that's not true. You are very interesting and cool and absolutely deserve to be part of a fantasy world.) Isn't that a big part of why "real literature" is written and read as well? So... what's the problem with being like, okay, I'm just gonna insert myself into the world now, through this original character? Of course, I'm not asking for people who prefer to write strictly in canon characters to change that. What I mean to say is, writing it in the form of an OC/SI, doesn't make it a lot different from other fics, or hell, from classic literature even.

I think a potential problem might be the feeling that you are taking too much creative liberty with something that is established canon, by having your own character directly interact with it. But, um, can't the same thing be said if you take a canon character, and then proceed to project heavily onto them? Like, a big part of why I don't feel comfortable writing just canon characters is that I know I'm clearly projecting and it feels awkward to rewrite an already established character to explore my own thoughts/desires. I would rather just straightup design a new character. (this is all just personal feelings, I haven't thought enough about this to make any kind of argument here. And of course, the main reason is I can't trust myself to write canon characters that don't ooc in some way so having one as my protag might kill me with my own awkwardness. )

5. the potential.

Now this is looking far ahead because I'm not sure how much our current system for distribution of knowledge & copyright can allow it. But damn. The OC/SI thing has a lot of potential. There is one thing that makes it different from writing in canon characters, and that is the way it opens up a clear space for you to add your own experience into the story. When exploring your own world view through the lense of an already established world, or vice versa, so much can be revealed about both, perhaps even bringing to light aspects of the narrative the author hadn't previously seen. We all know this feeling, it's when we ramble on about one of our stories or worlds to a friend, and they point something out, and we're like ooooh that makes a lot of sense but I hadn't thought about it before. Yea, like those moments. Stories are generally made more interesting by their interaction with many different perspectives/experiences. With OC/SI it straightup allows you to be like, okay, I'm going to engage my own experience with this fictional world/character now. I mean, isnt that also a large part of how fanfics work in general? Readers/writers bouncing symbols and experiences off each other in the form of stories? Reading about the various interpretations of canon stuff? Whats the problem with tagging it as it is? I'm just thinking about the fics that could have been written as OC/SI and explored the story in some fascinating way which weren't written at all or were discontinued bcs the number of views discouraged those authors. (I feel that with my current work as well, though I have already written half of it and the remaining half is too juicy to give up so I'll probably be completing it)

6. conclusion, sorta

I guess what I want for OC/SO fics is just the same treatment as everything else. Saw it in the tags you were searching for? Look at the teaser. Do you find it interesting? No, then very well. Yes, then click in and take a look. Do you like the writing style? Are you getting into the narrative?... etc. You know, like, same standards you would have for any other kind of fic. Not feeling like you want to read about a new character? Cool, no problem at all, click away. But I do not think that the current difference in number of views is just based on whether readers are interested in reading about a new character or not. In fact, that's what I want it to be. Show me that "true" difference, the one without the stigma behind it, because, as the same goes for every kind of stigmatized community, you're not receiving the proportionate amount of positive feedback, but what's worse is you can't even trust the criticism you receive. If no one engages, or someone gives a negative feedback, how am I supposed to know if it's because my writing is bad? or my teaser wasn't interesting? or my character was badly written/designed? Or if it was to a certain extent, bcs of the stigma? I do want criticism, of course I do, it's the first step to every improvement, and I would love it if I could get feedback that I can trust. (and this brings us to the truely "oppressed" community of the fanfic world, the people who write very good but cant write interesting teasers//jk)

7. the entirely skippable straw man rant part, also the expression of my love for The Magnus Archives.

some straw man: if you like writing your own characters so much, why not just write your own story entirely? and publish it?

You think I'm not annoyed about that? Here's the thing, I LIKE THIS WORLD I READ FROM THIS BOOK/SOME OTHER FORM OF MEDIA OR WHATEVER, I like it, it's brilliant, I want to write for it, about it, be in it, think about it, read about it, engage in whatever way I can. I CAN'T just "go write my own." And who do you think is more annoyed about not being able to publish the stuff? (According to you) I have written something that is potentially publishable (thank you btw I know you don't exist and is a strawman I invented just now but I've gotta get my compliments where I can//Jk), and I can't publish it in any potentially big way (and rightfully not) because I have no copyright over the characters. I worked hard to design my character, to make the plot meaningful, and to study the original canon plot and characters so that it would all fit together (I mean, partially bcs I can't force myself to sit down and write sth that is any less complex), and I can't actually publish it where more people will read it. And of course, on top of that, even less people will feel like reading once that "original character" tag is up. Does it look like I would be here if I could "just write my own"?

(slight tangent but come on what even is "your own"? how many classic European lit books were just fanfics of each other which were all just fanfics of the Bible or Greek mythology or sth? Stories and symbols have no boundaries it's the economic system that drew those.)

Damn this got way longer than I thought and it's morning now😂 guess I ran out of space to actually promote my fic, might have to do that in a seperate post then. But to anyone who actually read up to here, I'm so sorry for wasting your time no but srsly thanks for reading all of these jumbled thoughts, and good luck with whatever you are working on at the moment, I know you're probably working on something if you're reading through these tags. And of course good luck to the tma folk we're gonna face the end together🙏. good night (I should rly go to sleep now😂)

[majicmarker]

can i ask why you decided to work on a self publish a novella while also working on your main novel? i can’t seem to work on two projects at once lol! also what’s the self publishing process like?

OKAY SO i had decided to take an actual self-imposed break from sugarcoated — not super uncommon, smtimes i go weeks or, during a depressive episode this winter specifically, months w/o working on it.

i’m well past the halfway point now and the second act’s completely outlined, which is fckin BANANAS incredible, but i haven’t taken the time to find any pride in that. i just kept piling the pressure on myself, which is smthn ppl had been telling me constantly over the past year — to paraphrase, lovingly: “bitch, ur too hard on urself” — but it didn’t *click* until recently. i needed to take some time to rly immerse myself in some good vibes and congratulations.

i didn’t want to Not do anything for those couple weeks, tho. i’d had the idea for the novella floating around for awhile, so i sat down w it one day just to see, hey, can i make smthn out of this? and, dayum, could i ever.

it’s come along very quickly, naturally, almost effortlessly (probably bc it tackles subject matter i’ve wanted to explore for a loooong time but could never quite get at ‘til now), and all within the timeframe i’d set — bc, true, i didn’t want this project to escalate and take my focus from sugarcoated. but it hasn’t run me off-course in the slightest. so all’s well and i’m SO happy i’ve decided to go ahead w the novella.

initially, i wasn’t into self-pub, largely bc of the expense. BUT. when i dug deeper, it doesn’t actually have to run u thousands of dollars (good thing, bc i have skittles for money, but anyway).

your price points are editing, book design, and marketing. bc of my own background, i don’t need a professional editor; i used a free design app for the cover; and marketing can run fairly cheap. amazon provides you w the program to self-pub and basically walks you through all the formatting, etc., it’s super user-friendly.

tbh at this point i feel like the marketing/promotion is going to be the most work. but it’s smthn i’m willing to invest my time in, and a little bit of cash if i need to. ex: amazon advertises your book to buyers interested in ur genre for a minimum of like $3/day, which is smthn i could swing for a week and then we’ll see.

the vibes are good tho and i’m ✨hyped✨ this novella has wound up meaning a lot to me, it’s been equal parts fun and cathartic, and i’m just so looking forward to sharing it. i really am thrilled — and floored, honestly — that i can get it out there soon 💫

[imagine-your-love-story]

Is it bad to age up my s/i so I can self ship with someone older but I'm a minor? I don't want them to be a pedophile bc ew but I care them 🥺👉👈

Hi darling anon!

Someone else had a similar question just recently! I answered it here.

However, I’ve had some...pretty aggressive messages regarding that response (I will not be publishing them because I’m not out here to debate that topic and personal attacks will never be responded to. I made myself clear in my first post). 

So when it comes to questions regarding age gaps, aging up, etc., I don’t feel that I can answer those kinds of things for you. That is a personal decision between you and your ship.

Obviously, I do not and will never support p*dophilia in any way. We all know it’s a bad thing and we’re not out here to promote that.

So if you don’t feel comfortable with your f/o because you think it gets too close to creeper territory, then please draw whatever personal boundaries you need to in order to make yourself feel safe, comfortable, happy, and healthy again, lovely!

[thechildoflightning]

JKSF Jobs

I got asked awhile ago by the lovely @mewithanie if I could write about everyone’s jobs in jksf if it sparked my interest. It did spark my interest, but I couldn’t figure out how to make it into a one-shot or story, so take a tumblr post bullet-style explanation instead!

Read on to find out all about the jobs Patton, Roman, Logan, and Virgil hold in just keep stumbling forward (baby im waiting for you)

tw: suicide (oc), PTSD and trauma (mentioned only), mentions of drugs, alcohol, and school shootings.

Patton

Runs a non-profit

Non-Profit pairs up with schools

Non-Profit is an art therapy center focused on increasing connection within teenagers and allowing them an appropriate outlet for emotional turmoil

Patton’s group generally gets placed on ‘high-risk’ campuses or campuses that have incidents happen at them

‘High-risk’ in this case is defined by higher than normal suicide rates, low attendance rates, high-levels of illegal activity (generally drug and alcohol use), high rate of poor mental health, more than average amounts of cheating, etc

Instances involve things like excessive inappropriate school-wide behavior (ie. all the kids getting drunk and disorderly at a school event) as well as shocking incidents (student death from suicide, overdose, drunk driving, or things such as school shootings)

Some kids come by choice, others are referred through a suspension exchange program

Pretty much, a kid gets suspended but can choose to go to the group’s meetings instead of facing suspension

Kids get referred for suspensions that deal with violence, drug use, alcohol use, excessive absences, and so forth

The idea behind it is that suspended the kid will only negatively impact the kids record and give no reason to change behavior, while the group can help get to the root of the issue and work towards solving/improving that instead

Other kids go by choice bc they’re looking for extra support, a healthy outlet, advice, etc

They have weekly after school meetings (per each district, with one focal school in each one. The program is currently seven districts wide)

They also have lunch drop-ins were you can come make art, chill, get a snack, pet a therapy dog, and other stuff

One of Patton’s first schools was the same school Virgil works at

Patton generally leads the entire non-profit and has delegates to deal with the different districts

He handles the school/district that Virgil is at, though he attempts to go to as many things at the other districts as he can

Does a lot of outside work promoting the program to school and school boards, but is starting to delegate a lot of that work to others so he can focus on the kids instead of the bureaucratic shit

Has had to cut back on individual involvement and delegate more as the work and stress from running an entire non-profit has taken a large toll on his health related to chronic illness

He is Not Happy about this fact, but it’s for his health and he needs it. His spouses help support in any ways that they can.

Roman

Theater Boi

He is a director for a local theater company that is actually not half-bad

Enjoys the heck out of it

Went into college planning to become an actor

And boy does he love acting and the truth is? He was good enough. He could have become an actor. 

But somehow he finds it even more magical running everything behind the acting (and so so much more work, god he never realized how much Work This Was)

So he joins a theater company and he slowly works his way up

At first he comes in as assistant choreographer 

He’s young and they don’t think much of it, but the show genuinely improves by his individual suggestions and work and wait, who the fuck is this kid and how do we hang onto him?

He makes his way up quite quickly, sliding his way into assistant directly and then co-director and then suddenly the director’s leaving and now he’s the director

It happens fast and it’s very very exciting but he’s also honestly a little overwhelming and he’s never been good at managing large tasks without procrastinating bc executive dysfunction (see this post and this one about Roman and ADHD)

And now he is The Director and an entire production is depending on him. Everything. All of it. And it was what he was looking for but it’s a lot.

The first time he’s on his own, it goes okay

It’s by far not the best the company has done, but it’s also not the worst and the company is pretty supportive of his jump to director and the people who have been there longer help him learn to delegate tasks

And so he tries again, and he does better, and he just continues to get better from there

There’s just one hiccup: the scenographer

Basically the scenographer Does Not Like Roman and it creates Conflict

(In my head I sorta imagine the boss character Joan played when they were playing Thomas as Roman as Joan as the boss character in that one part of “Can LYING Be Good?”)

Luckily, Deceit later takes that position, and him and Roman work way better together and pull off some pretty bomb ass productions

Roman has been asked to join other companies before- specifically travelling companies and work on Specific Productions- which is very cool and very exciting but he decides he’d rather do what he’s doing now bc 

a) he enjoys the rhythm of his work. b) larger productions are more stress. c) he doesn’t want to be gone from his spouses. And d) he gets a lot of positivity and meaning out of what he does now and doesn’t see a reason to change that

Every summer he also runs the local chapter of Shakespeare in the park. 

He does act in these as well bc it’s completely volunteer based. Deceit also acts in these with him and these two theater dorks have way to much fun together

They may or may not of kidnapped Trixie for one of the productions (with Virgil’s consent of course)

Logan

Logan works for a company that considers themselves as a “research and problem-solving team for the improvement of marine environments”

Basically, Logan researches issues that negatively impact marine life and helps come up solutions to improve or solve these issues

Most of what he does is cycle through data that other researchers collect and figure out what that data means and how it connects

He looks at a lot of abstract numbers and pulls them together to state exactly what the numbers are reporting 

From there he brings that research to a board that forms a hypothesis and then comes up with potential solutions

These solutions are often considered very progressive and liberal and as such cause a lot of debate

Solutions range from legal changes (laws reducing companies waste, laws to prevent oil spills, protection laws around certain species/habitats, etc) to inventions (boats that clean the ocean, replication of habits to help support species that can’t live outside of a certain ecosystem, etc)

The company Logan works for has had numerous very successful projects and many of these projects were successful bc of Logan’s involvement

Logan’s spouses are very very proud of this fact

Logan is modest af and brushed it off

Logan’s had quite a few articles published in scientific journals and his findings/theories/work have also made it to national news in the past

Logan himself has actually been asked to present some of his stuff on the news multiple times. He refuses each time and someone else goes in his place.

Does this mean that person gets a lot of credit that should be assigned to Logan? Yes. Does that person feel bad? They do and try to give credit to Logan. Does Logan care? No, no he does not. 

Logan could care less about credit, he just cares about marine ecosystems and That’s Literally It

Seriously, people ask him things like “does he understand the ‘political implications’ of his job” or “Are you okay with your team constantly stealing your work” and he’s just like “Fish are cool. Leave me the fuck alone.”

Logan has also done more hands-on experience which has included cool adventures that included scuba diving trips to study coral reef damage, spending days in heavy wetlands, and swimming with sharks

His spouses think that this is the coolest thing and Logan agrees a 1000%

He usually works on research because that’s Where He’s Comfortable, but the occasional planned (it has to be planned) research trip is always exciting

Logan also has so much passion for his job. So much passion. It’s sort of an agreed upon deal in the house that when Logan comes home he will generally Need To Infodump because his job is The Coolest

Because of this, a time period between him getting off work and them eating dinner is designated Logan Infodumping Time

Generally this happens while they cook (because as mentioned a few times, Logan is the best cook)

Even if his spouse aren’t helping w/ dinner, they usually try to stick around and listen because a) Logan is Cute when talking about things he enjoys. b) he talks about interesting stuff. c) even if they don’t find it interesting, Logan’s enthusiasm is infectious and they just Have To Listen

Virgil

Virgil is a high school English teacher

He generally teaches sophomore regular English and junior AP English

Classes can shift slightly depending on the year

Virgil was at first a very distant teacher and didn’t connect with his students

Like his students thought he was a fine teacher bc he wasn’t too strict and didn’t assign a bunch of hw, but no one really liked him either

About his fourth year teaching, a kid at Virgil’s school got suicide baited and ended up taking their own life

It was a Big Deal (and is also how Patton found his way to Virgil’s campus)

After the event, there were lots of discussions and groups at the school, and each teacher talked to their classes

Virgil’s discussion was,, impactful to say the least

He talked to the students frankly about the issue and opened discussion to the topic while making sure to keep it respectful and calling students out on shit while at the same time helping support everyone who was struggling

He ended it with a small speech about self-worth, what it meant, and the struggle to achieve it, especially when everyone around you is pulling you down

It spreads like wildfire throughout the school and suddenly Virgil is a very well-liked teacher because He Gets It, y’know

(to clarify- his student’s do not know about his suicide attempts or personally history regarding his PTSD and experiences, that said, they all know there’s something different about this teacher. Something that makes him understand in a way others don’t)

He also has just this snark that students fall in love with

(One of his class’ learning targets for an entire week was just “We’re going to stick it to The Man. How you ask? Well we’ll find out!”

There was also a situation one year when one of Logan’s articles turned up in a multiple choice quiz and No One, including Virgil knew the answers (Virgil did have the answer key but it Did Not Make Sense)

He had to actually call Logan to figure it out

Turns out, most of them was the quiz maker’s mistake because he was asking questions about “author’s tone” and “author’s purpose” and Logan’s just like,, I didn’t meant to have any tone? I don’t understand tone? My purpose was I like fish? Why are they saying it’s to educate the average person??

(pretty much they analyze Logan’s article from a neurotypical standpoint, which Logan Is Not, so it doesn’t work. Virgil scraps the quiz.)

[spaceshipkat]

I'm writing a sci fi/fantasy story that could fall in the YA cathegory at first glance, specially if most main characters are young (16 to 19). But the more my story unfolds the more adult it gets (sex scenes or violent scenes), and I really don't want to limit my own creativity. I was thinking when I finish my book, maybe it will be published under the adult cathegory... but does that depend on the author or the publisher? And would a female author have sells in the adult section of sci fi?

hi anon! the first line of defense for a book (meaning prior to signing with an agent) is the author, and it’s up to the author to properly categorize their book. an Adult book can have teenaged characters (for example, Gideon the Ninth has Gideon as an 18yo and Harrow as a 17yo but it is decidedly Adult), so if your book’s themes, tone, and content match Adult more than they do YA, i would say to categorize your book as Adult. 

regarding female authors having sales in Adult SFF...i mean, it’s really difficult to say bc misogyny in the publishing industry is rampant. that’s why so many female authors publish under names that are ambiguously gendered (i know VE Sch///wab did, but i think it applies to authors such as JK Row///ling, AJ Hackwith, AK Larkwood, NK Jemisin, SA Chakraborty, KA Doore--and i’m not saying that that’s why these authors published under an abbreviation, but the fact remains their abbreviations sound ambiguously gendered). but then again, we also have authors such as Bar///dugo, Erin Morgenstern, Tamsyn Muir, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Lee Fonda who have found rather a lot of success in general, from bestsellerdom to award nominations and wins. it all depends on who you have backing you up, what your agent negotiates into your contract (aka what kind of marketing will exist for your book), what your publisher does to support you and help you find success, what you do for yourself to self-promote your book, etc. the most any author can do is to push for more more more and never stop until you’re happy with what you’ve produced and what success means to you (sales, bestsellerdom, awards, etc)

[haulix]

Music Industry Job Board (January 14, 2019)

New openings:

Music Content & Artist Relations Specialist (Musicnotes - Madison, WI) 

Join us in being a part of the global music community by shaping the delivery of digital sheet music. Due to growth, Musicnotes.com is seeking a full-time Music Content & Artist Relations Specialist who excels in managing the details including database management, file indexing, acquisition, and organization. Successful candidates will have experience and an interest in music research and analytics in this data-driven opportunity.

Manager (Singularity - Yonkers, NY) 

We are looking for a person with strong connections to the major labels and high-level music industry people. Being on a first name basis with the upper-level management is a must, someone who knows how to source music licensing deals, a person with good connections to source sync licenses for TV shows, movies, video games, etc. In addition, we are looking for strong connections to paid shows major venues, with the relationship to attach your artists to a major tour. We need an experienced manager with an excellent track record and great reputation. We are a private media company backed by a businessman with close to 30 years in the music industry is seeking a artist management partner. Our office is located In Yonkers, New York. We have invested millions of dollars into our business and are close to launching a great new project.

Administrative Assistant (WMG - Los Angeles, CA) 

Warner Chappell Music Publishing is the smallest major publishing company. We operate as a boutique company with the outreach and resources of a major. We arguably have the most in-demand roster in the business and the company as a whole has never been this “hot.” Join a winning team and work with some of the best songwriters in the business on their never a dull moment journey to a #1, or #1s for that matter!

Audio Engineer (PARMA Recordings - North Hampton, NH) 

If you're bubbling over with audio engineering talent and creativity, PARMA Recordings’ audio engineer opportunity might just be your perfect job.

This is not your average audio gig. This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a team with world renowned artists in classical, jazz and world music. PARMA's mission is to bring light to new music and the audio work we do to bring this music to life plays a vital role in our artists' success.

Successful candidate will have at least 1-2 years of audio experience in editing, mixing and mastering music. Music degree a must, classical music experience a plus.

Day to Day Music Manager (Small Giant Management + Records - Santa Monica, CA) 

Day-to-day manager working as the sole point for a major label pop artist. The position requires astute attention to detail, a high level of organization, a big picture understanding of the ever-changing landscape of the music and entertainment industries, and a creative approach to problem solving.

Admin (TAXI Music Independent A&R - Calabasas, CA) 

FULL-TIME STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION available at a well-established, Music Company for an intelligent, hard-working self-starter that wants a “starter job” with growth potential. Strong verbal and written communication skills are critical. Experience with basic (but meticulous) data entry and MAC OSX is required. Knowing Film/TV music licensing jargon is a plus!

Are you star that’s ready to shine given the right opportunity? Are you ethical, personable, and articulate? Do you live within 35 minutes of Calabasas?

This is a Full-Time position: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, with an hour lunch. Hours are not flexible. Small, friendly staff, and a great work environment. Paid vacation and sick time. Health insurance offered after successful completion of the probationary period.

Executive Assistant (NBCUniversal - Universal City, CA) 

The Executive Assistant provides support to the President of Global Film Music and Film Music Department as necessary.

Coordinator, Film & TV Music Licensing (UMPG - Santa Monica, CA) 

The Universal Music Publishing Film & TV licensing team is looking for a detail oriented, efficient individual for a manager position to work within our fast paced synchronization licensing department. The right candidate will have a general knowledge of music licensing and be able to multi task at a high level. Excellent oral and written communication skills are crucial, as well as the ability to work mindfully within a team driven atmosphere. A strong passion for music is a must!

Legal Assistant, Production (Viacom - NYC)  

Legal Assistant (“Assistant”) is responsible for drafting standard letters, amendments, agreements and distributions for Supervisors, screening and transfer incoming calls with a positive attitude and high degree of professionalism. The Assistant will manage all mailing, faxing, maintaining of files, and faxing of correspondence. The Assistant will also input, revise, proofread, and redline documents while maintaining a highly organized, efficient, and logical filing system of all documents for working and archival purposes. He/She will also manage all scheduling and booking of conference rooms and placing multi-party conference calls for staff meetings and for Supervisors, as well as maintaining departmental lists, calendars, and contacts. Assistant will prepare travel and expenditure reports, order supplies, prioritize the Supervisors’ daily schedule by coordinating appointments and scheduling meetings among parties with demanding calendars.

Music Operations Coordinator (TouchTunes - NYC) 

The Licensing Coordinator is responsible for the copyright research and publishing clearance of recorded music to be performed in commercial establishments.

Tour Accountant (Zeisler, Zeisler, Rawson & Johnson LLP - San Rafael, CA) 

This is an opportunity to join one of the premier business management/CPA firms and work in the world of musicians, entertainers and professional athletes. Zeisler, Zeisler, Rawson and Johnson LLP is looking for an experienced and highly motivated business manager to oversee the day to day activities of busy touring bands and related entities. Prior direct experience in the music industry is a must (tour accounting experience preferred).

Executive Assistant (AEG - Austin, TX) 

The Executive Assistant provides high-level support to executives by managing operational duties and travel arrangements, conducting research, preparing statistical reports, handling information requests, and performing administrative/clerical functions. Administrative functions include but are not limited to, preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging conference calls, travel arrangements, scheduling meetings and heavy calendaring. This individual will also work on various projects of a confidential nature as assigned by the executive.

Executive Assistant (Industria Films - NYC) 

Industria Films has upcoming projects in creating branded content, ad commercials, viral campaigns for non-profits, a podcast series, feature length documentaries, music videos, travel series, and television programming for various networks.

We seek to hire a motivated self-starter who loves media with strong knowledge of production and organizational assistance.

Must possess exceptional administrative skills, with a working knowledge of scheduling, programming, production, communication, marketing, and other related areas.

This is a freelance position with the potential to become a part time or full-time position.

The Executive Assistant will be working directly with the Chief Executive Officer (also a founder and investor of several business startup entities)

Salary is commensurate upon experience and based on skill as well as budget. If your application meets our requirements, we’ll contact you to schedule an interview.

Executive Assistant (BMG - NYC) 

You live by the words of trustworthiness, organization, and dependability. Everyone will recognize you as the prime go-to-person for just about anything, and your abilities have never disappointed anyone. Managing the lives of the company’s decision-makers is not an easy task, but then you showed up and made it seem like cake.

Global Copyright Assistant (UMPG - Franklin, TN) 

We are UMG, the Universal Music Group. We are the world’s leading music company. In everything we do, we are committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship. We own and operate a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. We identify and develop recording artists and songwriters, and we produce, distribute and promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to delight and entertain fans around the world.

Arts Administration Assistant (ArtOps/Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings - Southfield, MI) 

The Arts Administration Assistant has a strong interest in a career in Arts Administration, a background in classical music, is extremely organized and detail oriented. This individual will engage with many clients and artists and must have exceptional communication skills. In addition, an aptitude for numbers is essential to support budgeting and bookkeeping tasks. The ideal candidate will have the ability to learn and execute a variety of activities essential to managing a performing art non-profit.

Business Continuity & Crisis Mgmt Manager (Madison Square Garden Company - NYC) 

The BC/CM Manager is responsible for the day to day direction, coordination, implementation, execution, control and completion of both the Business Continuity Management and Crisis Management Programs at Madison Square Gardens. The Business Continuity Project scope will include the creation and implementation of business continuity plans and procedures. The Manager will be responsible for interacting with all Stakeholders, Internal Auditors and Senior Management for both programs. The scope includes working with the Stakeholders in defining, training, and testing business continuity, crisis management and disaster recovery plans and procedures to reduce business interruptions, ensure continuity, minimize financial impact and adhere to legal/regulatory requirements. The plans and procedures will govern the Corporate Office, remote Offices (Obscura, Farmingdale) and the MSG Venues. The implementation of the plans and procedures will include documentation, training, and the approach for creating a business recovery command center for managing through a business interruption. The Manager will also have responsibility for administering a crisis management enterprise-wide operational program, create and lead an enterprise-wide employee assistance initiative, cultivate relationships with key leaders in emergency management and identifying and implementing industry best practices, establishing a corporate emergency response, and forecast and manage a business continuity/crisis management budget.

Music and Entertainment Sponsorship Manager (Verizon - Basking Ridge, NJ) 

This position is responsible for leading entertainment partnerships within the sponsorships marketing organization. The Manager will manage all entertainment partnerships, experiential marketing programs and work with internal cross-functional teams to execute integrated marketing campaigns that deliver against key business objectives. This position reports to the Associate Director of Sponsorships.

Membership Coordinator (ASCAP - Atlanta, GA) 

We are looking for someone with previous experience in the business and in event coordination, who is looking for an opportunity to grow within the position, is good at multi-tasking and handles pressure well. 

Live Entertainment Supervision (Cedar Point - Sandusky, OH) 

Live Entertainment Supervisors are involved with the coordination, production & rehearsal process, and daily operation of all live shows, events, and entertainment at Cedar Point.

Marketing Manager (Rare Americans - San Francisco, CA) 

We’re Rare Americans, a Vancouver based band that went viral after a series of singles launched in June 2018. Since then we’ve amassed millions of YouTube plays and Spotify/Apple Music streams.

As we’re about to launch our second album we’re looking to add a high level difference maker to our team. Someone with a proven track record in marketing (both organic and paid), social media, and has experience growing a band in the music industry.

Our biggest priority is growth and we believe we need a full time person to assist our team. We’re advertising abroad as this position can be done remotely.

We have 6 music video assets for this launch, we’re touring UK, USA, and Canada, and we have a big “give away” contest that should also land us new fans and significant press.

$4-8k per month depending on experience level with full benefits included.

Coordinator, Music Programming (SiriusXM - Washington DC) 

Works with members of the music programming team to create superior radio programs as needed. Supports creative processes, content development and production. Exercises both creative abilities and technical skills. Edits materials and operates an audio board. May be assigned to more than one program and perform slightly different functions across channels.

[aliive-but-not-liiviing]

don't you think.. it's kind of fake of bts to tell us to 'love yourselves' yet they always mention them trying to lose weight , 'sorry i put on some weight etc' or talking abt how ugly they look .. they have a whole ass campaign called love yourself and albums named after it yet they always talk negatively abt themselves....

no, no, no, 100% no. how would that make them fake?

they’re humans too, just like us. they have insecurities too, just like us. they have negative thoughts too, just like us. just bc they’re celebrities doesn’t change that. if anything it makes it so much worse for them, bc they’re attacked for everything they do! lose weight? get told they need to be muscley/manly, gain weight? get told they’re fat, wear makeup? get told they look like girls, don’t wear makeup? get told they look pale or ugly or boring. i could go on, they get attacked for everything they do/don’t do. obviously they’re gunna be insecure, yknow?

for example, the weight thing you mentioned. in south korea weight seems to be very important, especially for idols. their weights are literally published for everyone to see every comeback, if they gain or lose weight people know about it. wouldn’t you be insecure too? if they gain weight, they feel like fans will hate them, so they mention it, they apologise for it, they make lil ‘jokes’ about themselves getting 'fat’ etc

but they’ve all said, despite them having negative thoughts & not feeling the best about themselves, they’re learning to love themselves more and more everyday, and that’s the message they’re promoting. they never claimed to be perfect or love themselves, they just promote the message because they want us to love ourselves, bc they know how horrible it is not to love yourself. their message is so pure and incredible, please never think they’re fake or anything simply bc they sometimes speak negatively about themselves sometimes

we’re on this journey with them, they’ve said that so many times, they aren’t at the end encouraging us to get to the destination, they’re right beside us walking this road with us. they’re on the journey towards self love just like all of us, that’s what makes them so special & genuine, never doubt that x

[paddysnuffles]

yes hello you said you did the reading to your self diagnosis and im gonna ask what did you read bc i think i may be autistic too

Hi! The research I did was really extensive as it was for a major project for my science, technology, and medical information class during my Master’s (Library and Info Science). The project was to make a user-friendly starter guide on a topic of our choice, so here are the resources I ended up using:

Is There Really an Autism Epidemic? (by Hal Arkowitz & Scott O. Lilienfeld, Scientific American, 2012)

The article discusses the possible meanings of the drastic change—within the short span of a decade—from the long-held ratio of 1:2,500 people with ASD to one of 1:166, suggesting that better understanding of ASD (and thus better ability to diagnose it) is likely to account for most of the increase. This is a great educational tool on understanding why autism is reported to be on the rise and why the current data on rising prevalence is rather misleading.

How to Think About the Risk of Autism (by Sam Wang, The New York Times, 2104)

An extensive yet approachable look at what the science says about the causes of autism and how to estimate the chances of a person having ASD. The article offers a comparison between how much emphasis the scientific community puts on each probable cause and how the media covers the subject. Genetic research can often be hard to follow even when simplified, so this could be a valuable introduction to the subject.

Survey: One in five believe vaccine causes autism (by Carly Weeks, The Globe and Mail, 2015)The article shows the effects of 18 years of false information fed to the public as science by Andrew Wakefield, starting with his 1998 paper on how vaccines are to blame for the existence of autism (which has been repeatedly disproven) to the 2016 propaganda film Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe. An important issue with serious public health implications.

Steve Silberman on autism and ‘neurodiversity’ (by Emma Teitel, Maclean’s, 2015)

An interview with Steve Silberman, who delved into the history of ASD to prove that the belief that “autism is a historical aberration of the modern world” is not actually correct. It offers an insightful explanation about what neurodiversity is, and serves as a great companion to the essay Mental Disorder or Neurodiversity? included in the topic-specific list.

Autism spectrum has no clear cut-off point, research suggests (by Nicola Davis, The Guardian, 2016)

This story reports the findings of a study that showed that the genes involved in the genesis of autism are connected to an individual’s social skills regardless of them exhibiting symptoms of ASD, “suggesting that “the autism spectrum has no clear cut-off point.” In other words, all individuals could be put within a scale for autistic traits and placed anywhere between the most severely impaired people on one end and the easy-going, social butterflies on the opposite end. The article provides a biological basis that could inform some of the discussion presented in other articles on the suitability of labelling less severe cases as a “disability” rather than a difference.

Autism spectrum disorders in the DSM-V: Better or worse than the DSM-IV? by Lorna Wing, Judith Gould, and Christopher Gillberg—–An overview of the changes brought by DSM-V by removing the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders and replacing them with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as a discussion about the positive and negative aspects of the new criteria. Considering that the changes brought by the new edition of the DSM is one of the most important developments in the area, this article provides a much-needed discussion on the very definition of ASDs. Note: One of the beliefs professed in the article - that autistics cannot feel empathy - has recently been disproven; for details on that see Brewer & Murphy in the referenced works section)

Evidence-Based Practices for Children, Youth, and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Review by Connie Wong, Samuel L. Odom, et al.—–A look at the current practices for ASD therapy to help children learn coping mechanisms, hone their fine motor function abilities, and other interventions found to be effective through different research projects. This essay will be helpful for an understanding of the therapies and techniques available for families affected by ASD.

Does the different presentation of Asperger syndrome in girls affect their problem areas and chances of diagnosis and support? by Elizabeth Hughes—–The article discusses the differences in how ASD presents itself in females versus males, comparing the diagnostic tools available for ASD and doctor’s perceptions of what ASD looks like in order to determine whether more males tend to be diagnosed with ASD than females due to actual biological differences in prevalence or because of gender bias imbued within the diagnostic tools. In addition to addressing an important issue surrounding ASD, this article also helps with the understanding of the range of symptoms and level of severity ASD can be manifested.

The Ever-Changing Social Perception of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States by Danielle N. Martin—Providing a historical perspective on the evolution of the understanding and acceptance (or lack thereof) toward ASD from a social and medical standpoint, this article looks at how past perceptions have shaped the modern stigma toward this disorder. This thesis paper—which was awarded the Michael F. Bassman Honors Thesis Award from the East Carolina University—will helps readers to familiarize themselves with how stigma against ASD manifests itself.

A Minority Group by Charlotte Stace—–Slang and terminology related to ASD are explored from the perspective of the ASD community, offering a unique insight into how the community views itself as well as how it views outsiders. It provides an interesting mirror image to the previous article, which is focused on the point of view of those not living with ASD.

Mental Disorder or Neurodiversity? by Aaron Rothstein—–The author discusses whether differences in how the brain deals with sensory input (such as in ASD, ADHD, and dyslexia) should qualify as “disorders” or whether they are variations on the brain’s “wiring” that helps with our species survival by providing certain individuals with an ability to problem-solve in ways that most people can’t. The emergence of this debate within the community—which is rapidly gaining prominence in media outlets—makes this paper an important read for those interested in a more holistic view of ASD.

Major sources of information (publications)

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (DSM-V): Although not a source solely focused on ASD (which comprises a relatively small part of the overall publication), it is nevertheless considered to be one of the key sources of information for professionals trying to determine whether a patient might be on the spectrum.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders: The leading peer-reviewed, scholarly periodical about ASD and other closely related disorders; published monthly.

Autism Spectrum Digest: A monthly digital magazine centered around topics of interest to members of the ASD community and their families, such as helpful apps, current news related to ASD, legal/human rights issues, etc.

Electronic resources

Autistic Self-Advocacy Network: An advocacy group about ASD, for autistics and by autistics, which promotes programs, offers a resource library, and provides a source for news relating to the ASD community from an ASD perspective.

Research Autism: A UK organization whose focus is research of interventions in autism, as well as provide objective evaluations of the scientific evidence behind each. It also offers a number of useful resources, such as a database of publications relating to ASD, links to apps developed for people with ASD, and information on legislations and policies relevant to people with ASD.

Authorities

Hans Asperger: Hans Asperger played an important role in the history of Autism Spectrum Disorder. He was one of the first scientists to identify ASD, and the first to theorize that ASD is something that affects a person throughout their whole life rather than only through childhood as Leo Keller claimed (Sole-Smith, 2014). Asperger’s Syndrome, one of the most-known variations of ASD, was named after him (Asperger’s Syndrome, n.d.).

Temple Grandin: Though her formal education deals with animal caregiving, Dr. Grandin is nevertheless seen as a leading authority on autism by both the ASD community and researchers alike. She is recognized as one of the first advocates for autism to actually have autism, and her insights into how autistic people experience the world were instrumental in bringing awareness and some degree of acceptance to ASD. Dr. Grandin has been profiled by the New Yorker, interviewed in NPR and the New York Times, was the subject of a photo essay for Time magazine and was listed in the 2010 Time 100 list in the "Heroes" category (Flatow, 2006; Goldman, 2013; Slaby, 2009; Hauser, 2010). She has written a number of books on Autism, has received honorary degrees from several universities, and was awarded a Double Helix Medal (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 2011; Grandin, 2016).

Key issues

"Neuro-diverse" versus “disabled”: There is surging controversy about whether milder forms of ASD should be considered disorders/disabilities or only a version of how the brain can function (like having a Mac vs a PC - they’re different, but it doesn’t mean one is faulty). A major reason behind this movement is that, as Dr. Grandin explains in her TED Talk, autistics might be worse than most people at some things, but they’re more skilled at others, like breaking down complex systems and understanding how they work (Grandin, 2010). Also in favour of this theory is the fact that those “on the spectrum” often enter professional fields in the area of their special interests and become experts on the subject (Grandin, 2010).

Prevalence of ASD in Women: A number of studies have shown that the signs doctors look for when diagnosing ASD are mainly those that manifest in males, meaning that women are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, with some doctors going so far as saying that “women can’t have Asperger’s” even when faced with a classic case according to current diagnosis definitions (Hughes, 2014). There is a slowly growing movement to fix this, but as of yet little has been on an official capacity other than studies repeatedly finding that a drastic change needs to be implemented.

Vaccines and Autism: A major issue related to autism and ASD is the widespread belief among the general population that vaccines can be to blame for a child’s autism. The problem started nearly two decades ago, with propaganda disguised as science by Andrew Wakefield that was widely spread through the internet and general media outlets. To this day, despite definitive proof to the contrary by a number of research findings, 20% of Canadians still believe that there is a link, while another 20% aren’t sure about it (Weeks). As a result, a number of parents started to refrain from giving their children vaccines, with serious consequences such as illnesses like measles having made a deadly comeback to the country (Weeks).

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). DSM V. American Psychiatric Association.

American Psychiatric Association. (2015). DSM V Update. American Psychiatric Association.

Arkowitz, H., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2012, August 1). Is There Really an Autism Epidemic? Scientific American. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-there-really-an-autism-epidemic/

Asperger’s Syndrome. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Asperger's%20syndrome

Autism Spectrum Digest. (2016). Autism Spectrum Digest. Retrieved from http://asdigest.com.

Autistic Self Advocacy Network. (2016). Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Retrieved from http://autisticadvocacy.org/

Bradley, E., Caldwell, P., & Underwood, L. (2013). Autism Spectrum Disorder. In J. McCarthy & E. Tsakanikos (Ed.), Handbook of Psychopathology in Intellectual Disability: Research, Practice, and Policy (pp. 237–264).

Brewer, R., & Murphy, J. (2016, July). People with Autism Can Read Emotions, Feel Empathy. Spectrum. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-with-autism-can-read-emotions-feel-empathy1/

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. (2011). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory honors stars of science and sports at sixth annual gala. Retrieved from http://www.cshl.edu/news-a-features/cold-spring-harbor-laboratory-honors-stars-of-science-and-sports-at-sixth-annual-gala.html

Davis, N. (2016, March 21). Autism spectrum has no clear cut-off point, research suggests. The Guardian [London]. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/mar/21/autism-spectrum-has-no-clear-cut-off-point-research-suggests-nature-genetics

Dichter, G. S. (2012). Functional magnetic resonance imaging of autism spectrum disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 14(3), 319–351. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3513685/

Flatow, I. (Host). (2006, January 20). A Conversation with Temple Grandin [Television series episode]. In Talk of the Nation. National Public Radio.

Foster, R. (2014). Does the Equality Act 2010 ensure equality for individuals with Asperger syndrome in the legal arena?: A survey of recent UK case law Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies, 1(4). Retrieved from

http://www.larry-arnold.net/Autonomy/index.php/autonomy/article/view/AR16

Fuentes, J., Bakare, M., Munir, K., Aguayo, P., Gaddour, N., & Öner, Ö. (2014). Developmental Disorders - Autism Spectrum Disorder. In J. M. Rey (Ed.), IACAPAP e-Textbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (p. C.2 1–35). Geneva: International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions.

Goldman, A. (2013, April 12). Temple Grandin on Autism, Death, Celibacy and Cows. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/magazine/temple-grandin-on-autism-death-celibacy-and-cows.html?_r=0

Grandin, T. (2010, February). Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds. [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds?language=en#t-157979

Grandin, T. (2016). Temple Grandin Professional Resumé. Retrieved from http://www.grandin.com/professional.resume.html

Hauser, M. (2010, April 29). The 2010 TIME 100. Time. Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685_1984949_1985222,00.html

Hughes, E. (2014). Does the different presentation of Asperger syndrome in girls affect their problem areas and chances of diagnosis and support? Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies, 1(4). Retrieved from http://www.larry-arnold.net/Autonomy/index.php/autonomy/article/view/AR17

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Retrieved from

http://link.springer.com/journal/10803

Martin D. N. (2012) The ever changing social perception of autism spectrum disorders in the United States. Honors Thesis, East Carolina University. Retrieved from http://uncw.edu/csurf/Explorations/documents/DanielleMartin.pdf

Medical Library Association. (2016). Medical subject headings (MeSH).

Research Autism. (n.d.). Research Autism. Retrieved from http://researchautism.net/

Rothstein, A. (2012). Mental Disorder or Neurodiversity? The New Atlantis, 36. Retrieved from http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/mental-disorder-or-neurodiversity

Slaby, M. (2009). The Perspectives of Temple Grandin. Time. Retrieved from

http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1985143,00.html

Sole-Smith, V. (2014). The History of Autism. Parents. Retrieved from http://www.parents.com/health/autism/history-of-autism/

Stace, C. (2014). A Minority Group. Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies, 1(3). Retrieved from http://www.larry-arnold.net/Autonomy/index.php/autonomy/article/view/AR13

Teitel, E. (2015, August 25). Steve Silberman on autism and ‘neurodiversity’. MacLean's. Retrieved from http://www.macleans.ca/society/science/steve-silberman-on-autism-and-the-neurodiversity-movement/

Tonge,B., & Brereton, A. DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.timeforafuture.com.au/factsheets/CDPP%20Factsheet%201.%20DSM%205%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder.pdf

Wang, J. (2014, March 29). How to Think About the Risk of Autism. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/opinion/sunday/how-to-think-about-the-risk-of-autism.html?_r=1

Weeks, C. (2015, February 6). Survey: One in five believe vaccine causes autism. The Globe and Mail [Toronto]. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/survey-finds-one-in-five-people-believe-measles-vaccines-cause-autism/article22851493/

Wing, L., Gould, J., & Gillberg, C. (2011). Autism spectrum disorders in the DSM-V: better or worse than the DSM-IV?. Research in developmental disabilities, 32(2), 768-773. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891422210002647

Wong, C., Odom, S. L., Hume, K. A., Cox, A. W., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., ... & Schultz, T. R. (2015). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review.Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(7), 1951-1966. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-014-2351-z

World Health Organization. (1994). International classification of diseases (ICD).

Further Resources

Autism Women’s Network

Interactive Autism Network

Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)

The official site for a research program funded by the Simons Foundation, which focuses on all aspects of autism research

Doctor Temple Grandin’s Site

Dr. Grandin’s site on autism. It has some of her writings on the subject as well as information on conference appearances.

ResearchGate Discussion Forum

A discussion page on ResearchGate on academic papers regarding ASD stigma. You can also search the overall discussion forum for other ASD-related discussions by academics.

Parents miss signs of autism in their daughters by Emily Anthes (Spectrum, 2016)

A study finds that parents of girls with autism are significantly less likely than those of boys to voice concerns about their child’s social behaviour.

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Though mostly useful to familiarize oneself with ASD culture, members of the ASD community also post links to news and resources (usually with commentary on their perspective on the matter). Tags of interest: #asd, #actuallyautistic, #stimming, #aspielife

Stigma and the “Othering” of Autism by Lynne Soraya (Psychology Today, April 1, 2012)

An Aspie’s perspective on the stigma surrounding autism and what it means to support an autistic child.

Autism Speaks, But Not For Autistics by Dane La Born (The Free Weekly, April 6 2016)

An autistic’s perspective on the lesser-known controversy surrounding Autism Speaks, the #1 autism charity in the world.

Ce que signifient les étapes du développement chez un enfant autiste by Kathleen O’Grady (Huffington Post Quebec, 2016)

The Autism Speaks Controversy by Brianne McDunnough (Reporter Magazine, 2014)

Where Autism Got The Right Treatment In 2015 by Emily Willingham (Forbes, 2015)

Proteins that spark learning may play key part in autism by Ann Griswold (Spectrum, 2016)

Autism Spectrum Disorder Linked to Mutations in Some Mitochondria by (Neuroscience News, 2016)

Autism gene needed for growth of neurons during gestation by Jessica Wright (Spectrum, 2016)

[famedexclusivearchive]

[ARTICLE] HALLYU TRIPLE FANTASY CONCERT SELLS OUT TOKYO DOME + MORE AFTER ANNOUNCING LINEUP

K-Pop fans in Japan have had their eye on the Hallyu Triple Fantasy Concert which was announced earlier in the year, promising a lineup featuring artists from three of South Korea’s biggest entertainment companies: BC Entertainment, Dimensions Entertainment, and Gold Star Media. After the announcement that the concerts would feature all artists on the three companies’ rosters, the four shows in Osaka and Tokyo all sold out, prompting an additional show to be added in Tokyo.

The tour will run from October 12 to October 17 on the following schedule:

October 12: Kyocera Dome (Osaka, Japan) @ 5PM

October 13: Kyocera Dome (Osaka, Japan) @ 5PM

October 15: Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan) @ 2PM

October 16: Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan) @ 5PM

October 17: Tokyo Dome (Tokyo, Japan) @ 5PM

ADMIN NOTES:

It’s time for Famed’s second drop event and first concert event! Everyone under the three companies will be required to participate in the concert tour barring extenuating circumstances such as major injury or illness. It must be cleared with the admin if you want your muse to have a plot that will keep them from participating in this event.

All promotional activities will be pre-recorded before leaving and all artists will have additional rehearsal schedules on October 9 and 10 in Seoul before leaving, as well as rehearsals on October 11 in Osaka and October 14 in Tokyo.

The concert is a long one, so artists will have downtime backstage that may be used in threads and interactions. They will also have free time in the morning/early afternoon and after the concerts to do as they please. Hotel room arrangements will be the same as dorm arrangements for groups living in a dorm. Senior groups who live on their own may arrange themselves as they wish with two to three members per room. Soloists get their own room.

The full schedule for the week can be found here.

The setlist can be found here.

In game, this event takes place Wednesday, October 11, to Wednesday, October 18, but threads and other posts for this event may be started from Sunday, October 8 at 2PM EST (when this post is published!) to Sunday, October 22 at 11:59PM EST. Threads may be continued past the end date, but must be started before then. Non-event related interactions set outside of this time period may be conducted during this time as well.

NOTE: All posts related to the event should be tagged #fmdfantasyjapan

POINTS AVAILABLE:

As with all events, there are special points up for grabs.

INTERACTIONS: Having an event thread with a starter and at least three replies (starter ▻ partner reply  ▻ op reply  ▻ partner reply) by the end of the event is worth 2 points. This is valid for up to five threads.

INTERACTIONS: Having an event thread going with someone your muse has never had a thread with before is worth 1 additional point for each thread.

INTERACTIONS: Posting an open starter for the event is worth 2 points. This counts for up to one open thread starter (not a text/sms post) per character. 

You can also earn the normal amount of points through submitting tips or articles to the Exclusive blog, writing self-paras, etc. related to the event!

If anything in this post is unclear or you have any questions, please feel free to contact the admin. Please like this post to let me know you read it.

[tipsycad147]

Prosperity Oils and How To Use Them

Published September 2, 2017 | By shirleytwofeathers

What follows is a list of the most often recommended essential oils for prosperity, along with some simple ideas for how to use them.

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)

It has a long tradition of use, having been produced in Sri Lanka for more than 2,000 years. Historically cinnamon oil was used in the Middle East and Orient for combating viruses and infectious disease. Cinnamon Oil dates back to the Egyptians! The essential oil promotes a healthy immune response, and may help maintain a healthy lifestyle regimen. Brings feelings of joy.

Caution: Cinnamon oil is suitable for skin application in weak dilutions of less than 1%.

Note: Cinnamon oil is made two ways, one with the bark and the other with the leaves. For the purposes of prosperity, I don’t think it matters which you choose. If you are using it medicinally, it might be good to do some research.

Cinnamon is said to attract wealth by transforming our core beliefs of limitation into abundance. It will release anger, frustration and abuse that we have buried that deal with our dependence and addictions.

It is good for those of us who really want to look at and change their belief systems or their old patterns. This will help those who need to release memories of physical abuse (including slavery) whether it is this life or a past life.

Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)

Myrrh is a very powerful antioxidant making it supportive for healthy skin. It opens our mind to receiving gifts. The benefits of Myrrh include the spiritual and emotional as well. Myrrh is very spiritual oil and has been used in religious ceremonies and rituals for over 5000 years!

Traditionally myrrh oil has been used for enhancing spiritual and emotional well-being. It is an excellent aid to the healthy functioning of the limbic (emotional center) of your brain.

In the Christian tradition, Myrrh was given to Baby Jesus along with Frankincense and Gold. So, Myrrh and Frankincense were considered luxury items used by the wealthy and highly regarded next to gold.

Myrrh releases fears, difficult experiences as it relates to us or the world. It asks us to be more accepting, trusting and non-judgemental of ourselves.

When we can love and trust ourselves more, than we don’t attract situations that are as painful and we learn to integrate our physical with our spiritual being.

Because this oil opens the heart chakra and is uplifting to the mind, it can relieve stress and relax the body. Place on the heart to release this patterning and embrace relationships (self and others).

Spikenard (Nardostachys Jatamansi)

A valued oil since ancient times spikenard has often been used in anointing rituals and religious ceremonies. It was the foot balm Mary Magdalene used to anoint her master’s feet in the New Testament of the Bible. For centuries, Spikenard has been used traditionally in Ayurvedic health practices native to India, and was historically used to anoint those of high honor.

One of the greatest benefits of Spikenard oil is its uplifting aroma that can help promote feelings of relaxation and calmness. Throughout history, Spikenard has commonly been used to manage and uplift mood, or to help promote relaxation. Today, Spikenard oil can be helpful for promoting calm, relaxing, or uplifting feelings when used topically or aromatically.

Not only is Spikenard oil known for its uplifting properties, but it is also a very grounding oil. The grounding properties of Spikenard essential oil make it a popular choice for aromatherapy and meditation. The woody, musty scent of Spikenard oil makes it a useful oil for aromatherapy and massage, while the grounding properties make it useful for promoting relaxation during meditation.

Spikenard oil can be applied topically to help promote calm or relaxing feelings. When you want to experience the calming benefits of Spikenard essential oil, apply one or two drops to the temples or back of the neck. Before applying Spikenard to the skin, consider diluting the oil with Coconut Oil to help minimise skin sensitivity.

Sandalwood (Santalum Album)

A known aphrodisiac sandalwood oil is used extensively in Indian temples, as well as in churches around the world in religious ceremonies for worshipping the divine.

Used for centuries in Hindu, Buddhist, and ancient Egyptian ceremonies, burning sandalwood was thought to relieve depression and restlessness, promoting spirituality and inner peace. The fragrance is still used today in funeral rites to instil comfort and acceptance among mourners.

Paradoxically, sandalwood oil has also been shown to be both soothing and stimulating. When used topically, sandalwood oil was found to have relaxant properties without causing drowsiness, according to research published in 2004.

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)

In the first century AD, ginger was exported to Europe via India as part of the lucrative spice trade. Ginger was used extensively by the Romans.

Ginger is one of those herbs that has a long history in East Asia for bringing luck. The oil can be rubbed on money, helping you to remember not to “burn” through it – the heat of the oil is thought to counter the ‘fire’ you feel to spend!

Supportive of the digestive system, ginger is commonly used to soothe, comfort, and balance digestive discomfort. Emotionally it gives us courage.

Did you know that the West African women in Senegal weave belts of ginger to arouse sexual interest in their partners? Wow, that’s interesting!

Its spicy and sweet aroma makes one physically energised.

The benefits of ginger are not lacking in the spiritual side of things either.

As a matter of fact, Ginger addresses “lack” and therefore would assist those who need self-confidence and motivation to put plans and ideas into the physical realm. In other words, it allows us to “digest” parts of ourselves that need to be changed so we can better serve ourselves.

We know that ginger has an aphrodisiac effect on the body as well. Therefore, it opens the root and sacral chakras and will release suppressed sexual energy.

Spruce (Picea mariana)

Spruce oil is physically grounding and relaxing. Has a sweet and earthy scent that is fresh and fruity. It is also said to release blocks to prosperity and wealth.

Native Americans used Spruce for its purifying and cleansing effect as well as for medicinal, spiritual and practical reasons. They used it for protection and capturing the universal energy here on earth the earth plane.

Spruce essential oil will ground and balance the body and release emotional blocks.

By the way, any of the oils that are from trees (Western Red Cedar, Palo Santo, Cedarwood, Frankincense, etc) will provide stabilisation, grounding and security to our being, physically and emotionally.

Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)

This intense, deeply sensual scent goes hand in hand with attracting power to your life. It’s also a scent commonly associated with beauty and prosperity, likely due to the sensual and grounding notes in the aroma.

It’s also often considered a protective essential oil, so not only could it attract prosperity to you, but it can also protect you from misery and misfortune.

Wear just one drop in a diffuser around your neck, or anoint a single drop over your heart to help bring out your inner beauty and strength. You don’t want to overdo this powerful scent, and a single drop is plenty to help you attract the prosperity you desire into your life!

If you are feeling in any way tense, stressed or depressed try inhaling cedarwood essential oil from the bottle or put a few drops on a handkerchief and breathe it in whenever you feel the need. You can also get all the benefits of its aromatic properties by diffusing cedarwood essential oil in a diffuser machine.

Patchouli (Pogostemon Cablin)

This oil has been used to relax the mind and clarify thoughts for hundreds of years. Originating in southeast Asia patchouli has been used for thousands of years. The early European traders were reported to have exchanged one pound of patchouli for a pound of gold.

An earthy, intense oil that helps inspire happiness and optimism. It can help sharpen your wits. It reestablishes mental and emotional equilibrium and energies the mind.

Patchouli Essential Oil is primarily used to align the heart chakra with the root and sacral chakras. It does this by releasing obsessions, insecurities and jealousies and enhancing our desire to live a fuller life.

It also grounds the body and asks us to stay in the present moment rather than stressing about things that are beyond our control.

Much like bergamot, patchouli essential oil often has connections with attracting money. Supposedly, it’s also an oil that has the ability to attract love into your life… so you may want to mix up a little into your own custom perfume blend before you go out for the night!

Bergamot ( Citrus bergamia )

Bergamot’s effects are uplifting as well as relaxing. It opens up the heart chakra, and allows you to release your need to be in complete control of a given situation. Does it really bring you success and money? Maybe – although it’s probably more related to your own confidence and uplifted state of mind!

Diffuse bergamot oil to bring yourself success and money – or add a drop to your wallet, while envisioning your wallet filling up with cash!

Another way is to anoint yourself with it to bring success and money – meaning add a drop to your finger tip, then rub it on each wrist, and a little bit on your forehead.

Sweet Orange (Citrus Sinensis)

Orange Essential Oil is rich in the powerful antioxidant d-limonene and aids in maintaining normal cellular regeneration. Also has calming effects and may be used for feelings of peace.

Mentioned in Chinese literature in 314 BC oranges make a wonderful nerve tonic. A happy oil with the scent of sweet oranges promotes relief of physical and emotional tension.

Caution: May cause photosensitivity. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight after skin application for up to 12 hours.

Its fresh and citrus aroma is very uplifting to the body and mind.

Orange Essential Oil uses include the spiritual and emotional realm as well. Orange releases self judgement, obsessions and fears so the emotional body can be restored and balanced. When we release these negative and highly charged emotions we can see clearly again and make better choices for our life.

It will lend support by uplifting and promoting a positive attitude while calming our spirit. This oil will help those who tend to overwork, strive for perfection, but get aggravated quickly by intolerances or mistakes.

Galbanum (Ferula Galbaniflua)

Traditionally galbanum has been used for making incense and is mentioned in the Book of Exodus 30:34 for this purpose. The ancient Egyptians highly favored galbanum as a holy plant aromatic and the reputed “green” incense of ancient Egypt is thought to be galbanum.

This magickal essential oil empowers positive sacrifice in the sense of giving up in order to change for the better. It also assists in one’s exploration of the self, but what it reveals can be shocking. This scent has traditionally been used for acquiring magickal skills such as divination, contact with angels, and communicating with the dead.

Frankincense (Boswellia Frereana)

One of the ‘Holy’ oils from ancient times when it was considered more valuable than gold, frankincense oil has a powerful and enticing sweet, balsamic and warm wood aroma that sweetly sparkles with freshness and a hint of spice and incense-like overtones. It is uplifting and centring.

This precious oil was found in King Tut’s tomb in Ancient Egypt.

Frankincense Essential Oil helps to uplift mood and brings feelings of relaxation. It may help smooth the appearance of healthy-looking skin, and is useful in combination with massage after exercise.

Frankincense oil has been used to awaken our spiritual awareness and connect with spirit for 5000 years or more. It will help us release parts of our ego which hold us back from connecting with our soul, as well as feelings of unworthiness and insecurity.

Once we are able to connect with our spiritual side, we can embrace our true purpose in the world and become more spiritually driven rather than ego driven.

Use Frankincense during meditation to connect with spirit and stay centred in meditation.

Clove (Eugenia Caryophyllata)

Clove bud oil shares similar antiseptic and anti-microbial qualities as cinnamon leaf oil. Use clove oil to help restore the loss of your inner drive and motivation. Its hot and spicy aroma brings clarity!

Caution: Clove oil is known to irritate the skin and mucous membranes and generally not for use in skin except in extremely weak dilutions of less than 1%. Please respect the power inherent in clove oil and use with extreme care.

Promotes a healthy immune response, and may support overall wellness. An important ingredient in Young Living’s Thieves blend, its principal constituent is eugenol.

Clove oil uses includes the spiritual realm as well. Clove is said to provide insight into our emotional discomfort.

How many times have something has happened only to find out later there actually was a hidden meaning behind it?

For me, all the time! But it was about eight years ago that I realised that every time I really just didn’t want to go to work that day, I would manifest something that would self sabotage!

We all have days like that, but that was how I learned to “take a day off”. I wasn’t honouring that I needed a day off and needed to just take it on my own! That taught me how to be nourishing to myself.

So, clove can help us in this respect. It helps us reflect on the causes of our sabotage; and assists us in releasing them because they no longer serve us!

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